Insulation stripping and wire wrapping equipment

ABSTRACT

Wire wrapping equipment is provided in the form of a novel bit for a wire wrap machine. The bit has the capability of removing insulation from a wire and then wrapping the bared wire around a terminal. To perform these functions the bit includes a rotary shaft supported within a cylindrical element. The cylindrical element and the rotary shaft couple directly to the wire wrap machine which holds the cylindrical element in a fixed position while coupling the rotary element to a drive shaft. An insulated wire to be wrapped is inserted into a slot on the rotary element, under a cutting element on the rotary element and over a slot fixed to the cylindrical element. A terminal to be wrapped is inserted into a hole in the end of the rotary element. When the rotary element is turned, insulation is severed by the cutting element, and the wire is pulled from the insulation by coaction of the rotary element and the slot in the fixed element. With further rotation, the bared wire is wrapped around the terminal.

United. States Patent EQUIPMENT 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl.... 140/124; 242/7.l7:81/9.5 Int. Cl B2lfl5/00 Field of Search.140/124; 81/95; 242/7.06, 7.17

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,810 10/1957 Belek et al.242/7.17 5/1959 Shulters et al. 242/7. 1 7

Inventors Ralph A. DeRose Villa Park; Renualdas P. Dicius, llinsdale,Ill. Appl. No. 716,878 Filed Mar. 28, 1968 Patented Jan. 12, 1971Assignee International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation New York,N.Y.

a corporation of Delaware INSULATION STRIPPING AND WIRE WRAPPING3,311,139 3/1967 Allen 3,378,048 4/l968 Woodetal.

ABSTRACT: Wire wrapping equipment is provided in the form of a novel bitfor a wire wrap machine. The bit has the capability of removinginsulation from a wire and then wrapping the hated wire around aterminal. To perform these functions the bit includes a rotary shaftsupported within a cylindrical element. The cylindrical element and therotary shaft couple directly to the wire wrap machine which holds thecylindrical element in a fixed position while coupling the rotaryelement to a drive shaft. An insulated wire to be wrapped is insertedinto a slot on the rotary element, under a cutting element on the rotaryelement and over a slot fixed to the cylindrical element. A terminal tobe wrapped is inserted into a hole in the end of the rotary element.When the rotary element is turned, insulation is severed by the cuttingelement, and the wire is pulled from the insulation by coaction of therotary element and the slot in the fixed element. With further rotation,the hated wire is wrapped around the terminal.

lXYXllll lIIlIll INSULATION STRIPPING AND WIRE WRAPPING EQUIPMENT Thepresent invention relates *to improvements in wire wrapping equipmentused inymaking electrical connections.

The prior art includes devices forwrapping bare wire on terminals. Italso includes devices'which can remove insulation from wires and wrapthe wires on terminals in a more-or-less continuous manner. The wirewrappers used for wrapping bare wire frequently are simple, low-costdevices which function well to wrap wire from which insulation haspreviously been removed, but cannot cope with insulated wire. Themachines capable of both stripping wire and wrapping it on terminalstend to be complicated and expensive. The present invention provides asimple and low-cost means for simultaneously stripping wire and wrappingwire on terminals.

The present invention relates to bits for hand-held wire wrap machines.The bits include means for receiving and supporting one end ofan'insula'ted wire, for removing insulation from a portion of the wire,and for wrapping the bared portion of the wire and a piece of theinsulated wire onto a terminal. The invention is equally adaptable toelectrically operated machines and to machines which operate from an airsupply. It is necessaryonly thatthe machineinclude a' chuck capable ofreceiving and operating the mechanism of abit.

The novel features of this invention are set forth with particularity inthe appendedclaims. The invention itself, however, both as to itsorganization and its method of operation, together with additionalobjects and advantages-thereof, will best be understood from thefollowing description of specific embodiments when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a wire wrap gun together with a bit in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bit embodying the principles of theinvention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show further details of the exemplary bit of F l6. 2.

FIG. 5a and 5b illustrate modifications in the bit.

F l6. 1 shows a wire wrap gun indicated generally at 2 which may be ofconventional manufacture. The gun illustrated includes a handle in theform of a pistol grip at G, a power leadin at P, a motor housing l-l,.anoperating trigger T and a chuck at C. The power supplied over thelead-in at P may, depending on the requirements of the, particular gun,take any suitable form, such as electric power, air pressure, amechanical drive,

etc.

The chuck C, of the gun 2, includes ajn'element for gripping the outersurface of the shank 6 of a bit 3,and holding it in a fixed positionrelative to the gun 2;An internal .drive shaft, shown in the sectionalview at 7, of the gun 2 is coupled to the motive force in the housing Hand terminates within or near the chuck C. This internal drive shaftcouples the motor to the shaft 8 of the bit so that operationof the gunwill cause the shaft 8 to rotate within the shaft 6.

Rotation of the shaft 8 causes parts 10, 12, 14 and 16 of the bit 3 torotate with the shaft. Part is secured to the shaft 8 by mechanicalmeans. Part 10 incorporates a long recess at 12 which is proportioned toreceive the end of an insulated 'wire. The wire is retained in therecess by a fastener 14.0neend of the insulating wire is inserted in agroove 17 under a cutter edge at 16 and passed over the notch 18. Thenotch 18 forms a portion of an element 20 which is fastened to the fixedshaft by a sleeve 22. The notch 18 keeps the main body of the insulatedwire in a fixed position relative to the end in groove 12 when the shaft8 is rotated by the gun. v

Rotation of the shaft 8, as indicated further in FlGS. 3 and 4, causesthe cutter edge 16 to sever the insulation from the end of the wire. lnsevering the insulation near the end of the wire the cutter edge 16 andpart 10' rotate about the shaft 8 from the position shown in FIG. 3 tothat shown in FIG. 4. During this period, the element) moves along theshaft 8 a distance d permitting the cutter edge 16 to sever theinsulation substantially in a straight line and start pulling the wirefrom the insulation. The first portion of bare wire is indicated at 30and the portion of insulation retained by 14 is indicated at 32. Furtherrotation of the shaft 8 then causes the end of the wire to pull free ofthe severed insulation at 32 and causes the wire. as it is bared, towrap around a terminal 24 which has been previously inserted into theopening 26.

The position of the notch 18 on the element 20 relative to that of thecutter 16 and groove 17 determines the amount of insulated wire whichwill be wrapped around the terminal 24 as the wrapping occurs. Thisrelative position can easily be adjusted by loosening the sleeve 22 andby turning the shaft 8 The amount of insulated wire to be wound inaddition to the bare wire in a particular instance will be determined byspecifications established for the particular use. The length of thebare wire wrapped on the terminal 24 depends on the length of wire 32passed under the cutter edge 16 and under the fastener 14 into therecess, or groove, 12.

FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate modifications of the bit including changes inthe cutter edge 16, the retainer 14, and in the recess or slot at 12.The opening 26 in FlG. 5a is provided to receive a post or terminal onwhich wire may be wrapped. Wire in FlG. 5b will be passed over thecutter edge 16, through a hole which is not shown in part 10 and intothe recess or slot 12. The hole between the cutter edge 16 and the slot12 serves the same retaining function as does 14 in FIGS. 2-4. In orderto better illustrate the cutter 16, a portion of FIG. 5b has been shownin section. The bit of FIG. 5a and 5b may be fitted via shaft 8 to adrive shaft 7 within a shaft 6 as is done in FIGS. 1 and 2. The portionof a bit shown in F lGS. 5a and 5b may also incorporate an element 20 toassure the necessary functional elements for wire wrapping.

To make use of the present invention,.a bit 3 is inserted in the chuck Cof a wire wrap gun 2. The pistol grip will normally be grasped with onehand while wire is inserted by the other. To insert the wire, one end ofan insulated wire 28 is thrust under the fastener 14 and into the recess12 of the bit 3. The wire is passed through thenotch 17 and over thenotch 18. The loose end of the wire is held taut by one hand so that thewire will be retained in the notch 18 when the shaft 8 rotates. The gunis then prepared to wrap wire on a particular terminal 24 by placing theopening 26 of the bit over the terminal.

Operation of the gun by squeezing the trigger will cause the shaft 8 andelement 10 to rotate. As element 10 rotates, the insulated wire iscaught in the notch 17 and forced against the cutter 16 which severs theinsulation and, in effect, locks the severed portion of the insulationin the notch. Continued rotation of 10 then causes the portion of thewire formerly held in the notch to be pulled from the severed insulation32 and wrapped around the terminal 24.

While the principles of the invention have been described above inconnection with specific apparatus and applications, it is to beunderstood that this description is made only by way of example and notas a limitation on the scope of the invention.

We claim: I. A wire wrapping unit in the form 'of a bit for use with v.awire wrapping gun, comprising:

a rotary element supported axially within a stationary cylindricalelement; means forming an integral part of said rotary element forreceiving the end of an insulated wire;

means coupling to said rotary element for holding the end of wherebyrotation of said rotary element forces said insulated wire into contactwith the cutting element and severs the insulation.

3. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 1, including:

means associated with said rotary element for receiving the end of aterminal; and

means associated with the stationary cylindrical element for holdingsaid insulated wire and forcing the end segment of bare wire to wraparound the terminal when the rotary element turns.

4. A wire s wrapping unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the rotaryelement and the stationary cylindrical element together form a bitoperable in the chuck of a wire wrap driver machine.

5. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 4, in which the means forreceiving the end of an insulated wire includes a slot in said rotaryelement.

6. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the means forreceiving the end of an insulated wire includes a slot in said rotaryelement.

7. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 6, in which the means forholding the end of an insulated wire includes a retaining elementextending over said slot to keep said insulated wire in said slot.

8. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 4. in which the means forpulling said wire from said severed insulation includes means on saidthe stationary cylindrical element for supporting said wire andproviding a pull on said insult insulated wire as said rotary elementturns and pulls on said severed insulation.

9. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 1. in which the means forpulling said wire from said severed insulation to provide an end segmentof bare wire includes means serving to hold said bare wire while it iswrapped around a terminal.

10. A wire wrapping device comprising:

a rotary shaft including means integral thereto for receiving andholding one end of an insulated wire;

a fixed element for supporting and retaining a portion of said insulatedwire in a fixed position relative to said one end;

said rotary shaft including cutting means integral thereto for removinginsulation from said one end of said insulated wire;

said rotary shaft including a receptacle into which an electricaltenninal may be inserted;

said cutting means serving to sever the insulation from said wirepermitting a strip of bare wire to be pulled from the insulation whenthe rotary element turns; and

said rotary shaft forcing the bare wire to twist around said terminal toform a firm electrical connection between said terminal and said barewire.

1. A wire wrapping unit in the form of a bit for use with a wirewrapping gun, comprising: a rotary element supported axially within astationary cylindrical element; means forming an integral part of saidrotary element for receiving the end of an insulated wire; meanscoupling to said rotary element for holding the end of said insulatedwire; means integral with said rotary element for severing insulationnear the end of said wire; and means coupling to the stationarycylindrical element for pulling said wire from said severed insulationas the rotary element turns to provide an end segment of bare wire.
 2. Awire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the means forsevering insulation near the end of a wire includes: a cutting elementfixed to the rotary element in a position to engage said insulation; andwhereby rotation of said rotary element forces said insulated wire intocontact with the cutting element and severs the insulation.
 3. A wirewrapping unit as claimed in claim 1, including: means associated withsaid rotary element for receiving the end of a terminal; and meansassociated with the stationary cylindrical element for holding saidinsulated wire and forcing the end segment of bare wire to wrap aroundthe terminal when the rotary element turns.
 4. A wire s wrapping unit asclaimed in claim 1, in which the rotary element and the stationarycylindrical element together form a bit operable in the chuck of a wirewrap driver machine.
 5. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 4, inwhich the means for receiving the end of an insulated wire includes aslot in said rotary element.
 6. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim1, in which the means for receiving the end of an insulated wireincludes a slot in said rotary element.
 7. A wire wrapping unit asclaimed in claim 6, in which the means for holding the end of aninsulated wire includes a retaining element extending over said slot tokeep said insulated wire in said slot.
 8. A wire wrapping unit asclaimed in claim 4, in which the means for pulling said wire from saidsevered insulation includes means on said the stationary cylindricalelement for supporting said wire and providing a pull on said insultinsulated wire as said rotary element turns and pulls on said severedinsulation.
 9. A wire wrapping unit as claimed in claim 1, in which themeans for pulling said wire from said severed insulation to provide anend segment of bare wire includes means serving to hold said bare wirewhile it is wrapped around a terminal.
 10. A wire wrapping devicecomprising: a rotary shaft including means integral thereto forreceiving and holding one end of an insulated wire; a fixed element forsupporting and retaining a portion of said insulated wire in a fixedposition relative to said one end; said rotary shaft including cuttingmeans integral thereto for removing insulation from said one end of saidinsulated wire; said rotary shaft including a receptacle into which anelectrical terminal may be inserted; said cutting means serving to severthe insulation from said wire permitting a strip of bare wire to bepulled from the insulation when the rotary element turns; and saidrotary shaft forcing the bare wire to twist around said terminal to forma firm electrical connection between said terminal and said bare wire.